Subject: Principles of American Democracy
Topic: Campaigning and Elections
Grade Level: 12
Student Lesson name:  Your Own Campaign

Twelfth Grade Social Science: 
Focus on Campaigns and Elections

12.6 Students evaluate issues regarding  campaigns for national, state and 
         local elective offices.

         3. Evaluate the roles of polls, campaign, advertising  and  the 
              controversies over campaign funding.

         4. Describe the means that citizens  use to participate in the political 
              process (voting, campaigning, etc.). 

STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO:
 

1. Collect and evaluate data
2. Analyze Propaganda Techniques
3. Create a description
4. Compose a speech
5. Make a prediction 

Introductory Activity
Pretest on propaganda (advertising) techniques.
Loony Laws Activity ( Example: What are the only two items you can legally throw from your car?  chicken feathers and water )

Enabling Activities
Students will be in groups of four or five.  I usually have them do a quick write on a law that they would like to see proposed and then group them according to what they are interested in.

1.  Group decides on the law they want to propose.  Submit proposal to teacher and if approved it is posted for other class members to see (Don't let the topics repeat). 

2.  Groups brainstorm a list of pros and cons on their proposal.  This helps them see both sides of the issues.

3.  Each student will research their topic using the Internet and other sources. 

4.  Students will use their individual research to create a group summary of their proposition.  This summary should have a word limit (usually 200) to be used to create a class voter pamphlet.  I usually show them the California voter pamphlet as an example.  They will also create a three minute persuasive speech to be presented at our forum (culminating activity).

5.  Groups will create a poll on their proposition and for homework they will poll twenty people each. Later students will tally and create a graph that will be used for our forum.

6.  Groups will do an activity to become familiar with the various propaganda techniques (testimonials, band wagon, etc.) 

7.  Groups will create a poster(s) using the propaganda techniques to be used during the forum.
 

Culminating Activity

VOTERS FORUM
Each group will present a three minute speech trying to persuade the class to vote for their proposition.  They must also present their data and graph from their poll.  They will also use their poster during their presentation as an advertisement.  After the forum the class will vote and results will be announced.

4
All members present and participating
Speech is persuasive and backed with research.
Student created chart or graph based on poll (Minimum of one)
Student created posters based on propaganda techniques (Minimum two techniques)

3
Most members present and participating
Speech is persuasive but with minimal research
Student created chart or graph based on poll
Student created poster (one)

2
Few members present and participating
Speech is persuasive, but not based on research
Student created chart or graph not based on poll
Student created posters not based on propaganda techniques

1
Most members not present
Speech is not persuasive or based on facts
No graphs or posters 

Introductory Activity
Pretest on propaganda (advertising) techniques.
Loony Laws Activity 

Enabling Activity
Proposition Worksheet  - a list of pros and cons
www.vote-smart.org
www.c-span.org
www.closeup.org

 Reflections
Salli J. Hale 
Gardena High School
Gardena, CA 
SALLIJ55@aol.com
Last Revised: 6/26/2001